Citation

Hsieh ML, Hamilton Z, Zgoba KM. Sex. Abuse 2016; ePub(ePub): epub.

Affiliation

3 New Jersey Department of Corrections, Trenton, NJ, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1079063216681562

PMID

28027710

Abstract

Given that sex offenders have been found to serve longer prison terms compared with other types of violent criminals, it has been suggested that the influence of imprisonment may impact subsequent reoffending. However, institutional factors are often overlooked in risk assessment studies and very few risk assessment instruments include institutional items within their models. The current study explores prison experience explanations for recidivism among convicted sex offenders and indicates that, with respect to time served, both institutional treatment and institutional infractions demonstrate a significant impact.

FINDINGS indicate that misconduct in custody was positively associated with revocation and sexual recidivism. Moreover, longer periods of incarceration significantly increase postrelease reoffending for high-risk sex offenders. Policy implications are made regarding further modifications to risk assessment instruments that will take into account institutional risk factors.

Language: en